A 23-year-old who committed 14 offences in just three hours has been described as “a very serious danger to the public” after his crime spree last year.

Judge Stephen Holt made the comment as he sentenced Jake Killick, from Thetford but of no fixed abode, to a life sentence with a minimum term of 11 years and 14 days before being considered for parole.

The sentencing follows a trial held at Norwich Crown Court on Wednesday 24 January 2018 where Killick was found guilty of rape, two counts of sexual assault, one count of assault by penetration, one count of false imprisonment, one count of committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence and three counts of robbery – all of which were committed between 4.30am and 7.38am on Thursday 30 March 2017.

The sequence of events was as follows (below times are approximate):

  • 4.35am – A woman reported being sexually assaulted on Riverside Road
  • 6.08 – 6.30am – The second call came from a woman who reported that she had been assaulted and raped multiple times in the area near to Ten Bell Court.
  • 6.50am – A woman reported being sexually assaulted near to Castle Meadow.
  • 7am – Police received a call from a woman who said she had been grabbed and assaulted by a man in the underpass on St Stephens. She suffered minor facial injuries
  • 7.16am – A man reported being robbed of his phone on Theatre Street.
  • 7.25am – Unknown person seen on CCTV robbed of mobile phone at Norwich Bus Station.
  • 7.35am – The final call came in after a man had been robbed of his wallet in London Street.

Numerous police units were deployed to the city centre to carry out a search for the suspect and enquiries led to Killick being detained at Norwich train station at 8.15am.

Detective Inspector Chris Burgess, from Norwich CID, said: “Killick went on a horrid crime spree which significantly impacted on the lives of his victims. I would like to commend them on their bravery and commitment in achieving this conviction.

“These horrendous crimes will undoubtedly stay with them for a long time and I hope today’s sentence offers them a form of closure in what has been a very difficult time.

“I’ve never seen a series of crimes, so serious in nature, committed in such a short space of time. Killick’s actions on that day are inexcusable and the public should feel safer now he is behind bars.

“This case shows how the community, including businesses, can come together to bring violent offenders to justice, and I would like to thank them for their help in securing a positive outcome.”